We run the rule over the teenage striker after he netted twice on his first-team debut at Old Trafford and assess his prospects for the future

It was out with the old, in with the new at Old Trafford last night, as the Manchester United crowd waved goodbye to Nemanja Vidic and (possibly) Ryan Giggs, only for a new face to emerge.

Interim boss Ryan Giggs handed 18-year-old striker James Wilson his first-team debut in the end-of-season clash with Hull and the youngster grasped his chance with both hands, scoring twice in United's 3-1 win.

The Academy at Carrington has historically been one of the most prolific in English football, but one position where they've failed to consistently produce elite talents is up front.

Background

Born in December 1st 1995 in Biddulph, Staffordshire, Wilson was first scouted by Manchester United as a seven-year-old and worked his way through the various youth teams at Carrington, often playing several years above his age group. He made his Under-18 bow as 15-year-old, before seeing his progress stalled by a broken ankle.

He’s been back to his best this season though, netting five goals against Newcastle for the Under-18s earlier in the year and scoring a number of key goals in United's run to the Under-21 Premier League Cup Final, where they face Chelsea.

In fact, Wilson has netted for the Under-18s, Under-19s, Under-21s and now senior teams in the same year.

Strengths

Wilson is a natural born finisher, which was evident last night. His two goals showed off his predatory instincts, but he’s far more than just a fox in the box.

The 18-year-old is equally adept from outside the box, scoring a series of long-range stunners during United’s Under-21 cup run this season and he's also done it against the best young talent in Europe in the UEFA Youth League.

Another string to his bow is his devastating pace and searing acceleration. This means he can be extremely effective on the flanks, although that comes as the cost of compromising his superior ability in front of goal.

Despite being predominately left-footed, his right peg isn’t too shabby either as he’s capable of finding the back of the net from range with either foot. He's a real technician and it's not a stretch to describe him as a genuinely two-footed player.

As well as these physical gifts, Wilson has it going on upstairs too - his intelligent runs will often flummox defenders and bring his team-mates into the game, while his cool head and composure in front of goal belies his lack of years.

Weaknesses

At 5ft 11in and with a fairly slight build he’s perhaps not the prototypical centre-forward size, but what he lacks in bulk, he makes up for in acceleration. Whilst it’s likely that he will bulk up as he matures, the worry is that any extra mass may have a negative effect on his blistering speed or balletic balance.

His injury record is also a cause for concern. Wilson broke an ankle against Southampton a couple of years ago which threatened to derail his career before he made a full recovery. His campaign this season has been plagued with minor injuries though, the latest coming in the United Under-21 team’s win over Liverpool last week.

Despite his uncanny eye for goal, one area for development is his passing and bringing his team-mates into the game, especially as he makes the step up and isn’t facing players of his own age that he can leave trailing in his wake.

What are his prospects for next season?

The impending arrival of Louis van Gaal could be very good news for Wilson's first team prospects next season.

And the England Under-19 star has a maturity and self-awareness which is often crucial in making the step up from talented youngster to Premier League regular.

"Every time I just think: 'I could be in that first team.' It would be great to get a few minutes on the pitch,” he said ahead of his first-team debut. "I need to see how I deal with the atmosphere, the pressure and other factors.”

This level-headedness and United’s handling of him so far gives you confidence that he won’t join the ranks of the too-much too-soon brigade of lost English starlets - see the lack of Academy graduates to break into the Chelsea first-team squad, for example.

And with talents like the industrious central midfielder Ben Pearson and Belgian-Brazilian (how can he fail with those genes?) schemer Andreas Pereira almost ready to follow Wilson into the first team, the Manchester United production line is looking in good shape as the club gets set for life under Louis van Gaal.